Vegetated habitats such as seagrass meadows constitute the world's blue carbon deposits and account for more than 50% of all carbon storage in ocean sediments. This action aims to protect seagrass meadows through blue carbon management tools, prevent their degradation, and maintain them in a satisfactory conservation status in accordance with the Black Sea Environmental Protection and Rehabilitation Strategic Action Plan.
A database will be developed covering all aspects of seagrass meadow beds in the Black Sea, including scientific literature, institutions, and scientists working on these ecosystems, as well as regional projects and programs related to seagrass meadow beds. All results and outputs will be discussed and analyzed in detail at conferences and workshops, and the findings will be reported for planning purposes.
The Community-based Blue Carbon Education Program (BCEP) will increase public awareness in target areas. To ensure long-term sustainability of a participatory process within this action, BCEP will be developed as an online initiative and implemented through applications (such as smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices) and media that can be used to reach a wide audience.